Weekend Round-Up

Salad Makeovers
Waldorf Salad 

Traditionally made with fresh apples, celery and walnuts and a dressing made from mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce.

This salad was first created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (the precursor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel which came into being with the merger of the Waldorf with the adjacent Astoria Hotel, opened in 1897).

Oscar Tschirky who was the Waldorf's maitre d' hotel had developed or inspired many of its signature dishes. He is widely credited with creating the recipe. In 1896, the Waldorf Salad appeared in The Cook Book by "Oscar of the Waldorf" The original recipe did not contain nuts, but they had been added by the time the recipe appeared in The Rector Cook Book in 1928. The salad became popular enough that Cole Porter featured it in his 1934 song "You're The Top".

Today there are many variations of the Waldorf salad. Chicken or turkey. grapes or dried fruits can be added.  To make the salad more healthy, some of the mayonnaise can be replaced with yogurt. I guarantee you won't even notice the difference. I added a little Dijon mustard, lemon juice and honey to plump up the taste.  A real winner for a summer meal.
Recipe serves four and adapted from skinnytaste.com Chill salad until ready to serve. 
Besides serving over mixed greens can also be served in a healthy low carb wrap.  

Chicken Waldorf Salad Makeover

Salad Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
• 1 medium apple, diced
• 1-1/2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
• 3/4 cup celery, diced
• 3-4 TB. toasted pecans. chopped
• 6 cups mixed greens like spinach and arugula

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup light mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 3 TB. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Make dressing and set aside.
• Combine salad ingredients except mixed greens. 
• Add in dressing only as needed to moisten salad ingredients.
• Sprinkle toasted nuts over salad right before serving.  

Strawberry, Watermelon and Tomato Salad Makeover

Cook's Notes:This salad was previously posted but needed a bit of an update with the dressing. http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2016/09/friday-faves.html  Use a tomato heirloom medley for a nice contrast with watermelon and strawberries. 
I loved the extra touch of a homemade balsamic vinaigrette over the fruits and tomatoes. I highly suggest using Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar as it elevates the dish to a whole new level. But a good quality dark balsamic works too. Taste test before increasing maple syrup to 4 teaspoons. Refrigerate any extra dressing left over in a covered container. 

Salad Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 cups of strawberries, halved or quartered into bite size pieces
• 2 -1/2 cups halved, multi-colored, cherry tomatoes
• ⅓ cup julienned fresh basil
• Optional ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese 
• Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 4 TB. good quality dark balsamic vinegar or Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 3-4 tsp. pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
• 4 TB. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes and basil.
• If making in advance, cover fruit with a sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate up to 6 hours. Drain fruits in a colander. 
• For the Balsamic Vinaigrette, add all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Place dressing in small covered jar, refrigerate until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, shake the balsamic vinaigrette, add salt and pepper to taste. Toss salad with a few tablespoons of dressing, add in crumbled blue cheese if using.
  

Cantaloupe Salad with Feta Crumbles

Honey Garlic Beef Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Veggie and Brown Rice  Bowls with Peanut Sauce